Seven more politicians murdered this week. What a lucky number!
“I myself was hoping that it would not breach five percent… inflation always dampens the growth,” Mr. Pernia said in a media briefing yesterday.
While these may help buffer the effects of rising inflation for beneficiaries, Mr. Pernia commented that it’s “freebies” such as free education and free irrigation programs that may have contributed to faster inflation.
The director of the National Economic Development Authority is now saying openly that rising inflation was unexpected, hampers growth, and Duterte's freebie polices are somewhat to blame! All the while Malacañang shrugs its shoulders like it's not big deal.
Specifically, the PET wants to explain the incident report dated May 25 on the clustered precinct No. 36 in Brgy. Lupi, Tinambac which stated that “4 black zip ties used to seal ballot box instead of Comelec red plastic seals; plastic seals found inside ballot box, cannot be found; election return envelope not inside ballot box, cannot be found; envelopes for MOV (minutes of voting) and torn ballots appear to have been previously opened; and Voter’s Receipt box is missing.”
It is important to understand that neither Robredo or Marcos are being held accountable by the PET for these irregularities because right now too many are jumping to the conclusion that irregularities on the part of local election officials means cheating and fraud on the part of either Robredo, Marcos, or their respective parties.
[Translation: If they're scared of asking help from the PNP they will have arms themselves, they will build their own PAG (Private Armed Groups). And it will lead to further deterioration.]
[Translation: If persons in authority are killed brazenly, in broad daylight and in full public view, it becomes a cause for concern. What protection can they still get because even with security detail, they still get killed?]
This is a kind of worry that normally functioning nations do not have. Local officials cannot trust the police and so will be forced to have their own private army? The very fact that he is worrying about such a thing is telling about what kind of society the Philippines is. It's the Thunderdome. Two men enter. One man leaves.
He insisted that Halili was not shot by a sniper, who opted to hit the mayor in the chest because he wasn't "confident" enough to go for a more accurate target: the head.
Alright so far in this case we have a sniper shooting a bullet into the chest of the mayor which disappears leaving no trace and it seems he was not really sniper because, according to the PNP, he shot the mayor in the chest and not the head. And now it might be this is related to a feud with an ex-General. The assassination might also be related to his drug war tactics as well. What else will come of this case? Will this go down as the JFK assassination of the Philippines?
“Economic growth has been high and steady,” said Ernesto Pernia, Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority, said during the forum on Economic Development and Infrastructure Cluster.
After saying inflation will hamper encomium growth Pernia now does a 180º and says the economy is high and steady. Flip-flopping all over the place!
“Make me president only until next year, 2019, and I will accept it, if that will satisfy the critics,” he said, adding Vice President Leni Robredo could have his post if she wanted. “Make my presidency co-terminus with the beginning of the new draft constitution. Make me stop being president during the transition.”
More blasphemy and more nonsense promises to step down or resign.
The victims Changbo Fang and Fang Zhang Bao who were onboard their Lexus IS 300 sedan were traversing along Nicanor Garcia Street in Barangay Poblacion, Makati City when the five male suspects onboard a Mitsubishi Montero “started flashing its headlight” signalling their vehicle to stop in front of a mall.
Police said that one of the male suspects alighted from the vehicle and held Fang at gunpoint while taking his wallet and money.
His companion, Bao, managed to flee during the incident. The suspects then supposedly directed Changbo to call his relatives in order for him to give a ransom money amounting to P1 million but was reduced to P80,000 after negotiation.
An entrapment operation was launched after the three friends of the victim, whom Changbo contacted, told the police about the incident.
A cop kidnapping a citizen is nothing new but I am kind of shocked at how unambitious this man really is. First he wanted 1 million and then he agreed to 80,000?? At least he didn't get a single centavo.
Duterte had threatened to reveal more of what he knows about the Ventura case after being criticized by the Church for some of his policies.
During his speech, the President read aloud what appeared to be a police investigation report on Ventura’s killing.
Duterte is a lawyer with no respect for the judicial process. Just see how he pubilically discloses information from an ongoing police investigation. Nothing surprising here.
Solicitor General Jose Calida is leaving the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to defend itself in the ongoing vice presidential electoral protest as he filed a manifestation backing the 50% ballot shading threshold that favors the interest of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Usually, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) defends the government – in this case, the Comelec – in cases before the Supreme Court, but Calida said his manifestation is out of his capacity as People's Tribune.
“As the People’s Tribune, it is the Solicitor General’s duty to present to the Honorable Tribunal the position he perceives to be in the best interest of the State, notwithstanding the stance of the Comelec on the issue of whether the Honorable Tribunal ruled that it has no basis to impose a 25% threshold in determining whether the vote is valid,” Calida said in a 16-page manifestation sent on Wednesday, July 4, to the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).
Instead of doing his job in defending the government, in this case the Comelec, Calida has thrown his weight behind the PET and Marcos. This business about 25% shading is very important because the machines used in the 2016 elections were set to record 25% shading as a valid vote. This means votes that were valid will no longer be valid if this ruling stands. This would actually throw the 2016 election in toto into doubt. How many 25% shaded ballots were cast in favour of Duterte? And who can tell what is 25% or 50% or even 100% shaded? It's all being done at the discretion of the one eyeballing the ballot!
"We have to look on the angles on the occupation of the vice mayor since election is fast approaching and considering the history of Trece Martires, most of the angle there is political feud in Trece Martires," Carranza told ANC.
Another assassinated politician. Who's next?
Ok. Now who's next?
"Pero when you are a religious, you have to be something of a neutral dito sa faith mo and the government. Because it is really the concept of a Republican system that there is a separation of Church and State. So, when you criticize me, do not use the platform of God," he said.
Duterte the lawyer, like many truth be told, has no idea what separation of Church and State actually means.
Yesterday, she removed Police Senior Insp. Caesar Acompañado as station commander of the Parian Police Station after he failed to deploy his men on Colon Street for police visibility.
Aside from Acompañado, five cops assigned at the Abellana Police Station were also relieved for allegedly mishandling a mentally ill person.
None of these offences are as bad as corruption. They will probably be reassigned somewhere else.
Everything Duterte does is a prelude to martial law according to the so-called opposition. Over time these warning become meaningless. Marital law is in effect right now in Mindanao and will likely be that way throughout Duterte's term. Federalism will be the axe that literally splits the country into several regions. More government. More corruption.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is eyeing more Filipino scientists to return from overseas now that Republic Act 11035 or “Balik Scientist Act” is enacted into law.
DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña expressed this optimism in an interview during the National Science and Technology Week at SMX Convention Center in Lanang on Friday.
De la Peña said the law ensures government support for scientific endeavors, adding that DOST has estimated that at least 40 Filipino scientists currently based in universities abroad will return to the country.
Republic Act 11035, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last month, aims to strengthen research and development in various fields by providing incentives, benefits, and privileges to Filipino scientists, engineers, and innovators who will return to the country to share their knowledge.
De la Peña said that he already asked different science and research councils in the country to convince these local science experts to work here for certain projects.
“From 40 for this year, it should be 60 for 2019, 90 by 2020, 135 by 2021 and maybe we can target a modest percent increase after that,” he said.
He said more incentives will be given to the returning scientists, who will work with different universities and government offices that are currently conducting researches or innovations on different technologies.
This law may be a good idea but why try and repatriate Pinoy scientists who left the country? In the West they will have access to people, publications, and instruments that won't be available here. Plus more money and freedom in their research. Would a Filipino working at CERN or MIT really want to give that up? Of course not. It would be better if this law was used to retain scientists already here and to build an environment conducive to research.
Mark Anthony Giray, chairman of Barangay Cagmanipi in Calbayog, was driving his motorcycle with Boyet Dura on their way home when they were shot in Barangay Marcatubig at around 6 p.m. on Friday. They were pronounced dead on arrival in a hospital.
In Zamboanga City, Michael Magallanes, councilman of Barangay Sta. Catalina, was on his way to a feeding program in Sitio Lustre when he was shot at around 7:19 a.m. yesterday.
More political violence but since these guys aren't mayors there won't be much hullabaloo about it which is just too bad. Barnagay officials are killed every week it seems.
“Something terrible happened when we were young. It’s not really that serious. While confessing, we were being fondled,” the President said in a speech in Davao City.
Sexual molestation is not that serious? Is this man crazy? Pardon me if I have no faith in this brand new story that he has never told in public before.
“So, tingin ko po (I think), the more plausible explanation behind this is it’s really political season in the Philippines,” he added.
Roque also said that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is also looking into expanding the coverage of the election gun ban due to the killings.
“Normally, there’s only a gun ban during the election season, but I understand the Comelec is now studying the possibility of imposing the ban earlier than usual. Dahil mukhang marami na nga pong patayang nangyayari (Because it appears there are now killings) preparatory to the elections,” he added.
Is this like deer season? Time to hunt down and kill politicians? Roque's explanation is sickening.
Why is the Philippines so eager to get into debt?
In order to finance blockheaded schemes like this. Free is never free. Nothing is free. Somebody, somehow, somewhere is paying.
(There are a lot of groups opposing the same issues. But they don’t coordinate with each other and they are not united. And that’s the role I want to take: To ensure their voice will become one so they would be listened to more. I want to make sure the message they want to convey would be understood.)
Great. Just what this country needs. A Vice President leading the opposition against the President with whom she should be on the same page. For my part I don't think much of the so-called opposition. What are they opposing exactly? They can't even call for an investigation into the Marawi attack!
Another dead local politician. His name is Roel Mabano. Don't worry though. It's normal. It's just political season according to Harry Roque.
Immaturity on both sides here. The President and Vice President should be on the same team but that's not how it is in the Philippines.
That Sotto thought he should express this scenario while everyone else has rejected it is indicative of how unfit for the position of Senate President he really is.
Is the government filled with 4th graders? Sure seems like it. I dare them to do their jobs honourably.
LEAVE Cebu as soon as possible.
This was the warning of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Senior Superintendent Royina Garma to drug personalities after the spate of drug-related killings in the city the past days
Garma said that Cebu City is not safe for those who continue to operate or protect the illegal drugs trade.
"It is not safe for them (drug personalities) but it will continue to be for people who loves peace and hate drugs," Garma said.
This is supposed
to come off as tough but it's really
just
stupid. How
about show no mercy
and get them all? Why
give them a stern warning? What if they really do leave and just
set up shop somewhere
else? Stupid!
A FORMER barangay councilor who ran for barangay captain of Lorega San Miguel, Cebu City was shot last night as he was heading home from a wake.
Glen Mark Manal did not make it to the hospital.
Another dead (former) politician.
President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concern over the series of killing in this city where the latest victim was one of the vice mayors in one of the towns of Tawi-Tawi.
In a phone call, Congresswoman Ruby Sahali told the Inquirer that “President Duterte was the one who broke the news to me” during a security meeting where the Chief Executive instructed Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año to conduct a deeper investigation on the killing of Sapa-sapa Vice Mayor Al Rashid Mohammad Ali Lipae on Wednesday afternoon along Governor Alvarez St.in Zamboanga City.
“He told me he was concerned about the killing of one of our vice mayors in Zamboanga City,” Sahali said.
Intersting. Why is he so concerned over this killing but not the others? Could it be because this happened in the ARMM? Could it be because he has deep ties to the Muslims in Mindanao?
And now for something completely stupid.
Two things to learn from this incident and all the responses to it across social media:
1. Filipinos do not understand sarcasm.
2. Filipinos want the government to not back down on Philippine claims in SCS.
Harry Roque and Cayetano can keep repeating the line that the government is asserting its rights and is not giving in to China but the people don't believe them.
The Philippine scandal of the week is the PET pool party. The PET invited revisors from both the Marcos and Robredo camps to a poo party. It seems only Leni's revisor attended but Marcos' side sent food to the event. Now a few weeks later Marcos is turning it into some kind of scandal. Here are a few headlines from that and related to the recount.
Duterte says he will step down if someone can prove God exist. That again? Remember he said he would step down if the drug problem was not solved in 6 months after he took office? Well here it is 2 years later and he is still whacking people left and right.
ReplyDeleteAs for the sniper "he was not a sniper because he did not go for a head shot." Well it did say chest shot but not where in the chest. Is there a chance it was a heart shot which would take more skill than a head shot.
Duterte said "Kill me if I do not solve drugs and crime in 6 months." Then he said give me 6 more months. Then he admitted that the war on drugs could not be won.
DeleteThe PNP saying the sniper was not a sniper because he was not confined enough to go for a headshot is one of the stupidest things said this week.